Ideal for return to work coordinators, rehabilitation managers and HR managers, a return to work coordinator training course will provide you with the knowledge and skills you need to manage rehabilitation or return-to-work programs for an organisation.
In our Certificate of Rehabilitation and Return to Work Programming course you will learn how to analyse, process and dispute claims; consult with medical professionals; undertake risk analysis; and understand breaches of return-to-work programs.
You will also gain insights into how to design a rehabilitation and return-to-work program, including job redesign, reduced hours and alternative duties. You will also gain an understanding of legislative requirements, including safe work practices, how to use appropriate terminology and the correct documentation of client information.
Outcomes achieved by undertaking return to work coordinator training include:
And more!
A Return to Work (RTW) program is a framework that supports an individual to return to work after a work-related injury. Each state has different legislation and regulations to guide employers, workers and other stakeholders through this process.
When someone is returning to work, there are several parties involved, all of whom have a part to play in assisting the injured worker. This includes employers, doctors and other health professionals, insurers, rehabilitation providers and, of course, the worker themselves. A safe return to work is more likely to be successful when the worker takes an active part in the planning for this outcome.
As you will learn in our return to work coordinator training course, the responsibilities of each stakeholder involved in the return to work process include:
They should actively contribute to their own return to work planning and participate in treatment and rehabilitation. They should also communicate openly and honestly with insurers and their employers to keep all parties informed and make a reasonable effort to return to work when possible, even if this means performing alternative duties.
They are responsible for reporting the incident in which the worker sustained an injury, and initiating the claim with the insurer. Employers are tasked with providing rehabilitation to the worker and assisting them to return to work as soon as possible, even if a claim has not been fully processed. The employer should also offer support to the worker, empathising with their position and encouraging them to return to work as soon as it is safe to do so.
This role may be performed by an employee if the organisation doesn’t require a dedicated Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator. They are responsible for coordinating the worker’s return to work, liaising with the worker to ascertain the extent of their injuries, consulting with the worker about suitable duties and ensuring their work remains within these parameters, and liaising and communicating with other stakeholders including the employer and insurer.
These differ by state (for example, in Queensland, they are called WorkCover Queensland) and responsibilities include assessing claims and deciding on compensation, financial entitlements and ongoing benefits, as well as coordinating the rehabilitation and return to work plan for the injured worker.
These are tasked with assisting in the ongoing clinical care of the worker in terms of assessing and treating their injuries. They are also responsible for completing a Work Capacity Certificate and providing medical advice to the worker, their employer and the insurer.
This person may be engaged by the employer or an insurer to provide assistance with injury management, including developing rehabilitation, injury management and return to work plans, providing workplace assessments, and liaising with the medical practitioners involved.
When undertaking return to work coordinator training, you will learn about rehabilitation and return to work plans. This is a document that outlines both the rehabilitation objectives for a worker and the steps that must be taken to achieve these objectives. The insurer is responsible for formulating this plan in consultation with medical practitioners, the worker and the employer.
The rehabilitation and return to work plan should include:
All stakeholders should sign and date the plan.
Injury management programs in workplaces are designed to promote sustainable employment outcomes for individuals who have experienced an injury. These programs are an effective way of assisting workers to return to work and controlling the compensation costs for an employer. An injury management program documents the procedures that staff should follow when and after an injury occurs, and outline how the worker’s safe return to work can be facilitated. They should include:
If an injured worker cannot safely or practically return to their pre-injury tasks or duties, it is the responsibility of the employer to identify alternative tasks, duties or working arrangements. These are referred to as “suitable duties” and take into account the physical and psychological capacities and restrictions of the worker, any training required and a schedule for the duties to be performed.
The Rehabilitation and Return to Work Coordinator is responsible for developing a suitable duties plan for the worker. If no suitable duties are able to be identified in a workplace, the employer should contact the insurer to discuss the possibility of the worker using their skills and abilities at a different workplace while they recover. This is known as “host employment”.
Gain the knowledge, skills and tools you need to manage a rehabilitation and return-to-work program and to work within a community rehabilitation environment with return to work coordinator training such as our Certificate of Rehabilitation and Return to Work Programming.
